Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-15’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Kirine-15’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; large orange-colored flowers; relatively tolerant to high temperatures; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia caerulea×Nemesia strumosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kirine-15’.

Cross-reference to related applications: Nemesia Plant Named ‘Kirine-9’;applicant, Daigaku Takeshita; U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/489,224. Nemesia Plant Named ‘Kirine-12’; applicant, DaigakuTakeshita; U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/489,223. NemesiaPlant Named ‘Kirine-13’; applicant, Daigaku Takeshita; U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 11/489,169. Nemesia Plant Named ‘Kirine-14’;applicant, Daigaku Takeshita; U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/489,164.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia,botanically known as Nemesia caerulea×Nemesia strumosa and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Kirine-15’.

The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Tochigi, Japan. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Nemesia cultivars with good vigor and attractive flowercoloration.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin March, 2004 in Tochigi, Japan of the Nemesia caerulea cultivar WhiteWings, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Nemesiastrumosa cultivar Nebula Orange, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tochigi, Japan inSeptember, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Tochigi, Japan since October, 2004, has shownthat the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Kirine-15 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kirine-15’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kirine-15’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNemesia:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   3. Large orange-colored flowers.    -   4. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the female parent, thecultivar White Wings, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are larger than plants of the        cultivar White Wings.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar White Wings.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar White Wings differ        in flower color as plants of the cultivar White Wings have        white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the male parent, thecultivar Nebula Orange, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are larger than plants of the        cultivar Nebula Orange.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nemesia are fragrant whereas        flowers of plants of the cultivar Nebula Orange are not        fragrant.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia are more tolerant to high        temperatures than plants of the cultivar Nebula Orange.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the cultivars Kirine-9,disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/489,224;Kirine-12, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/489,223; Kirine-13, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 11/489,169; and Kirine-14, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 11/489,164, primarily in flower color.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivarIntraigold, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/174,978. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor inTochigi, Japan, plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of thecultivar Intraigold in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more mounded than plants of        the cultivar Intraigold.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger leaves and flowers than        plants of the cultivar Intraigold.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia and the cultivar Intraigold        differed in flower color.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia were more high temperature tolerant        than plants of the cultivar Intraigold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Kirine-15’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the late spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in SantaPaula, Calif. for about 10 to 13 weeks in 15-cm containers. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° to 27° C.,night temperatures ranged from 7° to 15° C. and light levels ranged from5,000 to 7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time about fourweeks after planting.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia caerulea cultivar Kirine-15.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nemesia caerulea cultivar White            Wings, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Nemesia strumosa cultivar Nebula            Orange, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 3 days at 23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 5 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days            at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            mounded growth habit. Freely branching; about six primary            branches per plant and numerous secondary branches.            Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 32.5 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 25 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 1 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Slightly serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation patterns.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 147B; venation, 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Zygomorphic solitary flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards            the apex. Flowers bilabiate. Flowers face upright and            outwardly. Flowers last about four to five days on the            plant. Flowers not persistent. Freely flowering habit with            about 30 to 35 flowers per raceme.        -   Fragrance.—Faint; floral.        -   Natural flowering seasons.—In California, plants flower from            early spring to fail; flowering continuous during this            period.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 8 cm to 9.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 9 mm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Color: 196A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals; four upper petals are            fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched banner            lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval            protuberance with serves as a pollinator nectar guide and            landing platform. Shape: Rounded to oval. Apex: Rounded.            Margin: Entire; lower lip, slightly sinnuate. Length: Upper            petals: About 9 mm. Lower petal: About 1.1 cm. Width: Upper            petals: About 5 mm. Lower petal: About 1.5 cm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:            When opening, upper surface: 168B. When opening, lower            surface: 161C. Fully opened, upper surface: Upper petals,            34A, becoming closer to 172B with development; lower petal,            brighter than 169A, becoming closer to lighter than 164A            with development; protuberance, 34A, becoming closer to 163A            with development; nectar guides, 79B. Fully opened, lower            surface: More grey than 60D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals            fused at the base. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: 137C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.            Anther color: 163B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            161A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:            About 3 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 145B.            Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145B. Ovary color:            145A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Nemesia.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed to    tolerate wind and rain and have good garden performance.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 28° C.

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘Kirine-15’ as illustrated anddescribed.